The city that featured in the 2001 US film 'Black Hawk Down' has suffered a major terrorist attack that has left at least 276 people dead and more than 300 injured.

A truck, which was loaded with homemade and military-grade explosives, was stopped at a checkpoint but the driver suddenly accelerated and crashed into a barrier and exploded. The explosion also ignited a nearby fuel tanker, causing a massive fireball.

The death toll is expected to rise.

Al-Shabaab, a fundamentalist Islamic terrorist group, is believed to be behind the attack. The group vowed step up its terrorism this year.